Refereeing errors – for which referee boss Layec also openly came out for – were at the root of an undeserved defeat in the Black Country. The fate of a team, which is at the back of the standings. Then everything often goes against them. Let’s just end that cursed outward round and start with a clean slate. The mauve-white Brusselers used to come down to the Kuipje with bended knees, let’s restart that tradition and set the Kuipje ablaze on a probably freezing Friday evening.

KVC Westerlo

In Charleroi, 3 new names came to the kick-off compared to the previous matches. Thus, we saw another striker duo, Matsuo and Stassin. They took the place of Daci and Yow.  Pietro Perdichizzi also had to give up his place to Tuur Rommens. 

Our Kemphians showed that this fifteenth place does not belong to them. The Charleroi crowd was growling at their own players because we were in control of the game. 

Then that second half comes and things happen that make your trousers drop. With that first goal, ex-Kemphaan Daan Heymans – why does he always score against us now? – gets too much space in midfield. Just after that, Yusuke Matsuo had two chances to take the lead again. However, an uncontrolled shot and a clever save by goalkeeper Koffi prevented this.

At the other end, then millimetre work in terms of offside made it 2-1 and after that both coaches lived up to their names (Mazzu- vs Roeckietime), although Sylla’s ping-pong goal was also noteworthy. Four times the ball went from head to head, only to end up in the goal.

In terms of selection news for Friday, our coach will be able to choose from almost the entire squad. Ravil Tagir and Kyan Vaesen are set to return to training tomorrow following their injuries. Josimar Alcocer has been training with the group again since this week. Ilias El Hari and Irsan Muric played in yesterday’s cup match with the U19 against SK Lommel. They advance in the cup.

Did you know?

• Coach Jonas De Roeck coached 5 games against Anderlecht in the past and won 3 of them, drew 1 and lost 1.
• We had a difficult start last season with 6 out of 21 and were parked in 12th place in the rankings, when Anderlecht visited and this was the game of the turnaround after that 2-1 victory.
• The highly likely starting eleven is worth 14 million euros, with an average age of 23.
• Saint Nicholas is coming to visit? And that the holy man saw us, the last 2 meetings – when he was a guest – , win at the Kuipje against Mouscron 4-3 and Lommel 2-1.

RSC Anderlecht

Sporting, under the leadership of Danish general manager Jesper Fredberg and ditto Danish coach Brian Riemer, has become a club that is finally competing for the title once again. For seven years, the mauve whites have been waiting for a sequel to their last national title. 

The players recruited during the summer are experienced and … mostly Danish. Kasper Schmeichel, Thomas Delaney and Kasper Dolberg together have already played 210 international matches for their country. Add Swedish left-back Augustinsson (53 international games), Thorgan Hazard (47 international games) and hoover Mats Rits, and you have an experienced base that knows the ropes.

Striker Kasper Dolberg (9 goals) and Anders Dreyer (8 goals) currently account for 60% of the goal difference and youngster Théo Leoni is the assist king of the team with 6. Dolberg, however, had to leave the pitch early last week with an injury. His replacement – Argentine Luis Vazquez – in the derby against RWDM, provided the winning goal in injury time.

The following 11 players are expected to kick off at Kuipje: Schmeichel, Sardella, Debast, Vertonghen, Augustinsson, Rits, Leoni, Delaney, Dreyer, Raman and Vazquez. An average age of 27.6 years old with a transfer market value of €42.5 million. (See above for comparison with Westerlo).

Who will most likely also be on the match sheet is Yari Verschaeren. The midfielder tore his cruciate ligament in March and played for 1h with the RSCA Futures in the match against Zulte Waregem last week.

Lothar D’hondt

• 10th match this season
• 1x Westerlo (at home against Antwerp 0-3)
• 1x Anderlecht (at home against Charleroi 2-1)
• In total, this will be the 10th match for Westerlo: 3 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats)

Text and statistics: Peter Boons